Record 60% Increase Of This Drug Found In OD Deaths In Massachusetts

Cocaine ruled the 1980s in Massachusetts. The highly addictive upper was ubiquitous during the ten years between 1978-1988. Teen use of crack-cocaine was beyond disturbing during those years as well.

By the 2000's the drug of choice had switched from cocaine to pain killers. Just watch the documentary "Pain Killer" on Netflix about the Sackler family and you'll see why use of Oxycontin skyrocketed.

A Record High 60% Of Overdose Deaths In MA Involved This Drug

Since the release of Oxycontin in 1996, an opioid pain killer epidemic has ensued. Most overdose deaths involve some other drug, however.

Opioid related overdose deaths were down slightly in 2023 and almost all of the toxicology reports state that fentanyl was present, but a record high increase of cocaine was found in opioid related deaths in the first three months of 2023.

Cocaine.

Cocaine has increased at a rate of 6 percent per quarter on average since 2016 and was present in a record high 60 percent of opioid-related overdose deaths in the first three months of 2023 for which a toxicology report was available. -mass.gov

Alcohol was present in 29% of those deaths according to the same study. Benzodiazepines and amphetamines are also on that list.

Drugs in Massachusetts is always a widely talked about subject. What drugs should stay illegal, which should become legal for either therapeutic reasons or recreational use?

The state legalized cannabis for recreational use in 2016, and now on the 2024 ballot will likely be the use of certain psychedelics for therapeutic use.